Sunday, August 12, 2012

So, I came across this interview with Fantasy Artist, Jessica Galbreth on Facebook. Apparently, after years of sharing her amazing images of beautiful winged Fairies, Goddesses and Vampires, she has decided that these talents were the result of "demonic possession". Demons? Really?

If you watch the interview in it's entirety, you will learn that Jessica became interested in the occult at an early age, experimenting with the Oujia board and Tarot cards, which ultimately led to the creation of her own, Enchanted Oracle Tarot deck and apparently, her demonic possession. She even considered herself a Witch! :::Gasp:::

Gee, me too! I grew up in a family that was very open in terms of it's acceptance of the paranormal. We played with the Oujia board, held seances and read whatever books were available at the time on Witchcraft, Satanism, ghosts, hauntings and paranormal phenomenon,. And yet, we considered ourselves a Christian family. By this I mean, we were baptized, received communion and confirmation, celebrated Christmas and Easter and if we were so inspired, actually attended church on those occasions, didn't eat meat on Fridays and fasted during Lent. We believed in God and for us, that was enough.

Delving into the "dark side" was scary and fun. However, when presented with the fact that we really didn't know who we were inviting in during our Oujia Board dabbling sessions and seances....our parents pulled the plug on our connection to the other side and the Oujia board ended up collecting dust in the attic.

It didn't stop me from eventually leaving behind my Christian upbringing to follow a Wiccan path. Do I believe that this is the result of "demonic influences" left over from my "dabbling" phase? Hell no! (pun intended). It was due to the fact that I had found a religious Path that resonated with me and where I found spiritual fulfillment. I don't hate Jesus. I don't hate Christians. I simply believe that there is a spiritual path for everyone and one will ultimately know it when they find it.

Jessica says that her realization came when her daughter became frightened by her images. Well, lots of things frighten little kids. Dolls used to scare the shit out of me and I'm not entirely sure that they still don't. She also said that she felt as if a dark cloud was hanging over her. According to the CDC, that "dark cloud" might be depression, which strikes 1 in every 10 adults. I would begin there before I began blaming Satan's minions for the fact that I was not entirely thrilled with my life. Even the most successful people find themselves dissatisfied with their lives, Winston Churchill, Vincent Van Gogh, Michelangelo, Edgar Allen Poe, just to name a few. It kind of goes hand and hand with the whole depression thing. Jessica also claims she felt "prideful". Really? Well I can't imagine why? I wonder if she considered being proud of her accomplishments a sin before or after she was reborn?

The way we find and embrace spirituality in our lives is uniquely personal. No two people, even when sharing the same religious belief system, will experience Deity in the same way. At times, the religious path which we inherited from our parents is enough for us and we feel no need to look any further. Or, like myself, one finds no connection to the Path handed down to them and they seek spiritual fulfillment elsewhere. That doesn't mean that there was something wrong my previous beliefs. It simply means that Deity had chosen connect to me in a way that I would understand and embrace. A spiritual rebirth, in the purest sense of the word, shouldn't include the prompt condemnation of the Path one left behind. In that case you've only succeeded in being reborn into a more hypocritical version of yourself.

All this being said, I find it regretful, if not a bit amusing, that Jessica now considers her talent, "Satanic" and all her successes demonically inspired. And yet, she is still able to create in a very similiar style, except now, with a more angelic, Christian influence? Well...after all, Lucifer was an angel once too and Satan is referred to as "The Great Deceiver". Just sayin..

Merry Meet!

I am a witchcraft practicing, conjure working, Full Moon worshipping daughter of the Arts.
I have been interested in Witchery for as long as I can remember. As a child, when I was asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, my answer was, "a Witch." The musing of a child?
I have been practicing for about 20 years, give or take a year and a day. I am a 2* Initiate in British Tradition Gardnerian Wicca.
We teach a training group in Gardnerian Wicca and can be found on Witchvox is "Circle of the Ancient Ways".
I am also a Okuden level, Jikiden Reiki practitioner, a Reiki Master/Teacher in Usui System of Natural Healing. I have had training as an End of Life doula.
In the mundane World, I am a Surgical Coordinator, wife and mother.